What follows is my provisional translation (in other words, not official or authorized; see here for more) of a Tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. An authenticated typescript of the original text has been made available on the Bahá’í Reference Library here.
This Tablet was addressed to Gabriel Sacy (20 November 1858 – 21 March 1903), an Egyptian Catholic and Martinist who seems to have become a Baháʼí around the turn of the twentieth century, apparently under the guidance of Mírzá Abu’l-Faḍl Gulpáygání, who was also living in Egypt at the time. Sacy spoke seven languages, studied at the Syrian Protestant College (now the American University of Beirut), and worked as the head of the personnel office at the Ministry of Finance in Cairo. E.G. Browne writes that Sacy “had become a fervent Baháʼí with a very remarkable faculty for interpreting the prophecies of the Old and New Testaments, especially those of the Book of Daniel and Revelation, in support of the Bábí and Bahá’í claims” (Materials for the Study of the Bábí Religion, pp. 185–86).
Egypt
To the honorable Jibrán Effendí Ṣáṣí [Gabriel Sacy]
He is God
O thou who art sincere in thy love for God! I have received thy two letters which expressed praise unto God for what He hath bestowed, through His everlasting bounty, upon illumined hearts and heavenly manifestations. These letters indicated thy love for all humanity, thy compassion and tenderness toward all peoples and religions, thy striving for peace and security, and thy humility and submissiveness at all times and places.
As to what thou hast written regarding the Count[1]—that he is a man who desires the good of all humanity—this is correct. However, he hath not found the path that leadeth to the fulfillment of these hopes, rather hath he plunged into the seas of politics and ideas pertaining thereto, and he hath wandered in the wilderness of imaginings “for which God hath sent down no warrant.”[2] He supposed that through such deficient means, it would become feasible to achieve progress and success for the spirits and bodies of humankind. These were principles held by certain philosophers in bygone ages, yet they neither succeeded nor prospered. Rather, their efforts came to naught; their hopes were dashed, chaos ensued, and a most grievous calamity came to pass.
The happiness of humanity lieth in customary justice, in love of virtue, and in rendering unto each rank of creation its due, for the creatures of God vary in the degrees of their intellects, aspirations, and perceptions. How, then, can equality be achieved? And is it possible to eliminate reward and punishment? These are two pivotal matters that make distinctions between people. The cessation of crimes that call for punishment and cast one into the lowest depths lieth not within the realm of possibility. Can the wise and the foolish be equal, or Canopus and Alcor be the same?[3] Nay! God hath created the souls in diverse conditions and appointed for each a station and measure. Among them are gnats and eagles, weak birds and the daring ashen hawk, the blessed and wondrous tree laden with fruit and the infernal tree that yieldeth only deadly poison, the delicate shell and dense pottery, the brilliant and peerless gem and the black stone. How, then, can there be equality and equivalence among all these conditions and states? Rather, justice, protection, and bounty must prevail until all attain a contented life, complete tranquility, sufficient happiness, and abundant blessing.
As for thine honorable self, send to that illustrious person translations of the Tablets of Ishráqát, Tajallíyát and Bishárát, and mention to him that the source of authority for the people of Bahá is the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, as well as the sacred teachings that the Pen of the All-Glorious hath noised abroad and which issued from the mouth of Bahá to the ears of His loved ones. It is the light of guidance shining upon the darkest night, having spread throughout the world across its near and far reaches alike, and among both the high and low ones of the earth. Its splendors shall appear on the horizon even as a dawning star.
It behoveth thee, O noble one, to abandon material and political matters which are of no avail and yield no fruit, and to immerse thyself instead in the ocean of spirituality—to enter the Kingdom and become independent of this nether world; to raise the banner of the Lord of Hosts and bestow the spirit of eternal life upon every being; to be born of the spirit and become a heavenly, spiritual, celestial, and godly teacher—that the teachings of the Kingdom may flow from thy tongue like a torrent from the loftiest mount; that thou mayest blossom in the gardens of God’s supreme bounty like the crimson rose; and that a sweet musk-laden scent may be diffused from thee, perfuming many a land with the breaths of thy Most Exalted Lord. Then shall every difficulty be resolved and every hope attained; the souls shall be edified and the characters of all refined; the minds of humankind shall advance, and chastity and love of goodness shall be established in hearts that are mindful of remembering God. Indeed, the fragrances of God shall perfume every clime and region. Therefore, follow thou the way of Christ and traverse His vast arena, and emulate the pious at all times and in every place. With regard to political matters, they are temporary and trivial affairs; futile are they, and none who have tasted the sweetness of the love of God occupy themselves therewith.
As for conversing with the one who is unrestrained in what he chooses [to discuss],[5] speak with him only briefly, saying that the Blessed Tree hath grown, developed, and risen high; put forth branches, leaves, and blossoms; and cast its shade over many cities in America and some cities in Europe. It enjoyeth astonishing growth and hath a marvelous mystery. All voice their praise of the East—its illumination, its peoples, its groups, its kings, and its ministers—regarding them with wonder and according them true respect, after having ridiculed them and looked upon them with scorn, believing the peoples of the East to be barbarians of the earth bereft of intellect—indeed, mere savages without judgment, reason, resolve, or understanding—yet now hath the matter been reversed. Glory be to Him Who hath made the horizons of the East to smile after their weeping, and hath manifested its felicity after its misery!
Wherefore, confine thyself to these words and speak not with him save with composure, dignity, consideration, and prudence. Be thou a listener, not an answerer; gratify him with praise for his composition and its importance, along with his high-mindedness. Then say:
“According to what hath been heard, certain powers, such as England and others, made insinuations to the Imperial Ottoman court and strove to their utmost until the command for confinement in the fortress was issued from on high. It is not known how the Protestants achieved this aim of theirs, as there were no reasons that warranted it. They [i.e., the Bahá’ís] had dwelt for thirty-five years in Syria without the slightest indication from them that they had promoted their path in those parts or interfered with the various inhabitants of those regions. Rather, they kept to themselves while the local government was always apprised of their condition and conduct, never failing to take notice of them. Nothing occurred save the spread of their fame in America and the manifestation of their influence amidst the higher classes of those lands. Those from among the people of America and Europe whose hearts have been attracted to them beam with joy at the mention of the Sublime State[4] and the Persian government, and in their grand gatherings and assemblages they pray for the success and prosperity of them both.”
Confine thy remarks to this, and whenever he broacheth another subject, respond with an exposition of this theme.
Upon thee be tender mercy, and unto thee be power from the bounty of thy Lord, the Generous, the Compassionate, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting.
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[1] Leo Tolstoy.
[2] Qur’án 53:23.
[3] Canopus (suhayl) and Alcor (suhá) are the names of two stars. Canopus is the brighter of the two, in the constellation Carena, while Alcor belongs to the Big Dipper constellation. In Persian and Arabic literature, Canopus has been used as a metaphor for brilliance (and significance), while Alcor symbolizes dimness (and insignificance).
[4] The Ottoman Empire.
[5] Given that the word translated in this sentence as “unrestrained” is mukhtár in the original Arabic, this is probably a punning reference to Ṣabru’l-Mukhtár, mentioned in this other Tablet to Gabriel Sacy.
A typescript of the original Arabic text of this Tablet appears below (all punctuation and short vowel marks mine).
Adib Masumian 